Carton folding apparatus and method



Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER ET AL CARTO N FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 50, 1947 10' Sheets-Sheet 1 g i x J INVENTORS HE/NZ AHLME YER ATTORN EY WHITNEY D. SHf/PMAN' Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER ETAL 2,616,341

v CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 30, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q; INVENTORS HE/NZ AHLMEYER WHITNEYD. SHERMAN ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER ETAL CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 50, 1947 R E NER W wa 4 2 WM E T m v. Y a

Y E N R O T T A H. AHLMEYER ET AL CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Nov. 4, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 50, 1947 INVENTORS HEINZ AHL MEYER WHITNEY J2 SHERMA N ATTORNEY "Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER EI'AL 2,616,341

CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 30, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 INVENTORS HEINZ AHLME YER B WH/TNEYD SHERMAN Y M ATTORN EY NOV. 4, 1952 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,616,341

CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 30, 1947 10 SheetSShee' 6 INVENTORS WHITNEYD. SHERMAN BY Z. V

ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER' EI'AL CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 50, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTORS HE/NZ AHLMEYER WHITNEYD SHERMAN ATTORN EY Nov. 4, 1952 H. AHLMEYER ETAL 2,616,341

CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Sept. 30, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS HEINZ AHLME YER WHITNEYD. SHERMAN O BYW; 46

ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 4, 1952 CARTON FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Heinz Ahlmeyer, Tappan, and Whitney D. Sherman, West Nyack, N. Y., assignors to Robert Gair Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 30, 1947, Serial No. 777,032

This invention relates to method and apparatus for folding cartons, and more particularly cartons of the bottle carrier type designed to carry four, six or more bottles.

Improved forms of such cartons are shown and described in the copending application of Arthur J. Weiss, Serial No. 707,421, filed November 2, 1946. A principal object in the design of such cartons has been to manufacture them from a single blank of cardboard, paper board or similar material with as little waste of material as possible. At the same time, of course, it has been necessary to make adequate provision for strength and to reinforce the portions of the carton subjected to the most stress in use. The forms of cartons shown in said Weiss application achieve these objects.

The present invention relates to apparatus for folding or forming cartons of this type of construction from a single blank of sheet material by a series of operations to produce a product in finished form at a high rate of speed. The type of carton described in said Weiss application has to be folded in a manner which is very difficult to perform by hand and a principal object of our invention is to provide apparatus and a method for performing this difficult folding operation effectively in as few stages as possible and at a high rate of speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which is fully automatic in its operation so that the blanks fed in at one end of the machine, emerge at the other end in completely folded condition ready for use by a oustomer. V

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such an apparatus which performs a complete folding operation in only four main stages.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be explained and will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1a, 1b and 10 arranged in tandem show a side elevation view of the complete folding machine.

Figures2a, 2b and 20 arranged in tandem show a plan view of the complete machine.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the machine, taken approximately on the line 33 of Figure lb.

Figures 4 and 5 are partial transverse sectional Views on a larger scale to show the folding oper- 15 Claims. (Cl. 93-37) ations, taken, respectively, on the lines 4-4 of Figure 2c and 55 of Figure 21).

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary transverse sectional views showing, on an enlarged scale, different operating positions of the central portion of the folding apparatus shown more completely in Figure 3.

Figures 10 and 11 are transverse sectional views on an enlarged scale showing the folded carton at different stages, and taken approximately on the lines Ill-4B and I I--l l, respectively, of Figure la.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation view, on an enlarged scale, of one set of folding fingers and associated parts that form the bottle pockets in the carton.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material folded, cut and scored in the form in which it is fed into the machine.

The apparatus illustrated is designed particularly for folding a blank into a carton, the blank and carton having a construction such as shown in Figures 11 to 19 in said Weiss application.

The blank as fed to the folding machine of our invention is preferably folded with the outermost end or handle sections I0 doubled over against the central portion I I of the blank as shown in Fig. 13 and held in that folded position by spots of glue [2 inside and adjacent the two fold lines thus formed. The simple rectangular sheet after scoring and cutting may b folded into this form on any conventional or other suitable folding apparatus or gluer which does not constitute a part of our invention.

Adjacent these folds, the central section of the blank is provided with the short longitudinal cut lines l3 and the various short scores lines indicated a-t I4. Thus, each end section ID of the blank is connected to the central section by six short strips Ma. At and extending through the folds, the blank is cut out to provide the slots Mb. The details and purposes of this construction are more fully described in said Weiss application. Also, the central portion of the blank may be provided with three transverse score lines indicated at Mo.

The machine of our invention may be driven by several independent motors or, as illustrated, may be driven entirely from a single motor I5 through a suitable gear reduction unit l6, belt drive I! and the main drive shaft l8 together with various other auxiliary drive shafts connected thereto by chains and sprockets. j r

The blanks for the machine with the ends folded over and held in this position by glue, as shown in Fig. 13, may be stacked, with the end or handle sections uppermost, on an inclined delivery or guide board l9, so that the blanks slide down and come in contact one by one with the constantly rotating wheels 20, 28 fixed to the shaft 2|. Shaft 21 may be geared to the shaft 22 which is driven directly from the main drive shaft I8 by the chain 23. The Wheels '20, 2E! ro tate at a constant speed, and segments of their surfaces are provided with suitable friction material to catch the blanks from the slide 19 and feed them into the machine one at a time, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Numeral 24 indicates a blank in the position it takes when it is first fed into the machine.

The blanks at this stage rest upon two relatively wide, fiat plates or main guides 25, 25 and a central plate or guide 26, the upper surface of which is on a line with the surfaces of the main guide plates 25, 25.

It will be apparent that the blank is symmetrical, that is, it is scored and cut in the same manner on each side of the central score line extending transversely across the middle of the blank. The folding operations at the first two main stations, therefore, are performed simultaneously and are the same for each side of the blank.

Referring generally to Figures 10, 2c, 4 and 5,

the first main station or folding operation involves the folding of the end or handle sections of the blank about transverse score lines to a position such that the ends of the blank extend straight out from the central portion thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. This operation involves rotation of the ends of the blank through an angle of approximately 180 about transverse score lines spaced inwardly of the blank a short distance from the glued folds.

In Fig. 4, the blank shown has been partly folded to this position, and in Fig. the blank shown has been completely folded to the new position.

During this operation, the blank is fed through the machine at a constant rate of speed by means of the chains 21, 21 which are provided at intervals with suitable up-raised dogs '28 bearing against the rear edge of the blank. Thus a blank entering the machine by passing under the wheels 20, 20 is picked up by a pair of the dogs 28 on the chains 21, 21 and carried through the first folding operation. The chains '21, 21 are driven directly from the main shaft and pass around suitable sprockets on that shaft and also sprockets on the shaft 22 and the shaft 29. As the blank is received in the machine, it is centered on the main guides 25, '25 and central guide 26 by suitable fixed side plates 35. At this point, the central section of the blank passes underneath the fixed upper guide bars 3|, 3| and above their complemental lower guide bars 32, 32 (see Figs. 4 and 5).

The outermost folded and glued edges of the blank 24 at this position are located underneath the fixed folding rods 33, 33. These rods 33, 33 at the feed end of the machine are disposed above the outer folded ends of the blank, but looking toward the delivery end of the machine are inclined inwardly and downwardly (see Figs. 1c and 20) to perform the first folding operation. As the blank 24 is advanced by the chains 21, 21, the outer edges of the main guide plates 25, coincide with score lines on the blank about which the fold is to be'made. Thus, as theblank advances and the outer ends are pressed down by the inclined folding rods 33, 33, the handle or guide bars 31, 31.

end portions of the blank are raised gradually until they reach a vertical position when the" blank arrives at the position in the machine indicated by the numeral 34. As the handle portions of the blank are raised, the portions of the blank above the main guide plates 25, '25 pass under suitable fixed hold down guide rods 35, 35, the forward ends of which may be inclined to help clear the handle portions of the blank as they are raised at the beginning of the folding movement.

Movement of the blank beyond the position indicated by the numeral 35 continues the folding operation to rotate the handle portions of the blank outwardly (see Fig. 4). At this stage, the outward folding operation may be assisted by fixed inclined upper guide bars 31, 31 which help to press down the outer end portions of the blank and thus complete their rotation through an angle of As will be seen in Fig. 4, the main guide plates 25, 25 may have their outer edges sharpened to assist this folding operation.

As the blank passes the position 36 and the folding operation is completed, the outermost ends of the handle portions of the blank are guided under and held down by the upper guide bars 38, 38 against the lower angle iron guide plates 39, 39 and by the upper guide bars 40, 40 against the lower guide plates 4|, 4!. The guide bars 38, 33 and 40, 43 are simple extensions of the inclined At this stage the blank has been given an additional fold so that it is relatively fiat but folded in a flattened or squashed s shape at two points spaced from the ends of the blank. This folding operation may be completed by the upper rollers 42, 42 and the lower rollers 43, 43, which crease the folds and may be driven in any suitable manner, if desired. The guide plates 25, 25 have their outer portions cut away to permit the creasing rollers 42 and 43 to complete this first folding operation.

By this time the chains 21, 21 have finished their feeding operation and the blank is being fed forward at the same rate of speed by the chains 44, 44 which pass around sprockets on the driven shaft 29 and the idler shaft 45. The feeding of the blank is performed in a similar fashion by suitable dogs 46 on the chains 44, 44.

The various lower guides or plates may be fixed to the frame of the machine by bolts, welding or in any suitable fashion desired. In order to hold the upper guides in fixed relation thereto so that the blank will be held in correct position and still slide freely between the upper and lower guides, various braces may be used at proper intervals, one of which is illustrated in Figs. 1c and '20. This brace consists of arms 41, 41 fixed to, extending upward from the sides of the frame of the machine and supporting the fixed transverse shaft or bar 48. Welded or otherwise secured to the bar 48 and to the guides to be supported are any form of suitable bracing means such as the short rods illustrated at 49 (Fig. 1c).

The blank with the flattened double fold rolled down by the creasing rollers 42 and 43 is designated in that position on the machine by the numeral 55. As the blank is fed forward by the chains 44, 44 and leaves the rollers 42 and 43, the blank is advanced rapidly by a lower friction belt 54 in cooperation with an upper friction belt 52 located in the center of the machine. These two belts travel at the same speed as each other, and that speed is about two to two and one-half times the forward speed of 'the chains 44, 44.

5. Hence, these belts feed the blank very quickly to a folding station in the central part of the machine where forward movement of the blank is Stopped and several operations are performed successively to form the bottle pockets before the blank advances again.

The upper guides 40, 40 and 3|, 3| as well as the folding rods 33, 33 terminate before the blank enters this central folding station (see Fig. 2b). The blank is quickly carried forward by the belts 5| and 52 until the forward edges of the outer ends of the blank strike the fixed plates 53, 53 which serve to position it properly for the next operations.

As the blank arrives at this folding station, two centrally located rods or stops 54, 54 are in a raised position and also serve to position and prevent further forward movement of the blank. Immediately, the blank arrives in proper position at the folding station, the hold down plates 55, 55 fixed to arms 56, 56, which in turn are fixed to stub shafts 51, 51, are rotated into position to hold or clamp the central section of the blank against the fixed base plate 59 during the subsequent folding operations. This holding or clamping position of the plates 55, 55 is shown in Figs. 2b, 3 and 6. The hold down plates 55, 55 have a serrated or tooth shape along their outer edges, as best seen in Fig. 2b, this shape corresponding approximately with the innermost short diagonal score lines Md on the blank (see Fig. 13). The blank in this position in the machine is indicated by the numeral 58.

As the blank is clamped in place by the hold down plates 55, 55, the folding fingers 60 begin to move upwardly and the U-shaped breaker fingers 6| (see Figs. lb, 6) are lowered into a position to strike and break the sheet material at the two short centrally located longitudinal score lines Me between the cut lines I3. This ensures folding of the central strips Ma so that they will be forced easily through the slots Mb. During this time the outer ends of the blank are held down against the angle iron guide plates 39, 39 by the top guides 38, 38. The folding fingers 60 are the same on each side of the machine and each set is composed of three individual fingers fixed to the shaft 82. The shape of these fingers, somewhat like a flatiron, is shown in Figs. 6 to 9 and 12. As they move upwardly, the points of the three fingers 68 strike the blank near the central portion of the three longitudinal cut lines |3 of the blank. Thus, each of the fingers folds a pair of the short straps Ma upwardly and inwardly at the same time by reason of their tapered construction, rotating the straps of each pair in opposite directions.

This insures folding of the straps along the score lines at each of the small triangular sections I4 and lifts the end or handle sections H) of the blank upwardly, at the same time swinging them in toward the center of the machine. This movement of the blank in turn releases the outermost edges of the blank from underneath the guide rods 38. The final movement of these folding fingers 60 is an inwardly rocking motion during which the six upwardly extending cam shaped side plates 66 on the three fingers of each set force the central pairs of folded and rotated straps I la through the two slots 4b and the two outermost straps around the outer edge of the blank, completing the formation of the square bottle pockets. The intermediate position of the folding fingers 60 is shown in Fig. 7 before this foldingoperation is completed. The completed operation performed by the fingers 60 and handle sections and the lower central section of the blank.

Also, by the time the folding operation just described has been completed, the stops 54, 54 have been pulled out of the way or lowered to the position shown in Fig. 8. The outer ends of the blank are no longer held by the plates 53, 53, so that at this stage the only thing holding the blank from continued forward movement is the hold down plates 55, 55. The folding fingers 60 are then quickly retracted, and as they are pulled out of the way, the hold down plates 55, 55 are rotated inwardly away from the central part of the blank to release it. Simultaneously, however, the creasing bars 65, 65 move down with a swinging motion toward the entrance end of the machine to flatten the folded sections so that the bottle pockets of the carrier are collapsed and the handle sections of the carton are offset from the central section. This collapsing or flattening forces the handle sections of the carrier toward the entrance end of the machine, and since the hold down plates 55, 55 release the blank almost simultaneously, the central section of the carton or blank is carried in the opposite direction by the friction belts 5| and 52, thus assisting the flattening or collapsing operation. These belts 5| and 52 are running continuously so thatv they serve to eject the blank from this folding station immediately upon completion of the folding operations just described. The folded blank in the collapsed position is shown in Fig. 9 just before it is released by the creasing bars 65, 65 and carried out of the folding station by the belts 5| and 52.

The various folding and other operations described are performed in timed sequence by a series of cams which may be operated as follows. A stub shaft 68 (Fig. 3) is driven in any suitable manner from the main drive shaft, and in turn drives at constant speed through the bevel gears 69 a short cam shaft 10 at right angles thereto. Shaft 10 in turn drives at the same speed a second short cam shaft H by means of the chain 12.

Fixed to the shaft 10, as seen in Fig. 3, is a large wheel 13 having a cam track I4 cut in the side thereof. Riding in the track 14 is a-roller follower 15 carried by the horizontal bar '16, which in turn is mounted for vertical reciprocation on the fixed guide rods 11, 11. Pivotally attached to the horizontal bar 16 are operating rods 18, 18 which operate the folding fingers 68, as may be seen by referring to Figs. 6 to 9, and 12.

The upper ends of the operating rods 18, 18 are pivotally connected to the bars 19, 18, which are slidably mounted on pairs of fixed inclined guide rods 88, 80. Plates 8| having upwardly extending arms 82 are fixed to the ends of the bars 19, 19. The folding fingers 68 are attached to short bars or rods 83, 83, the ends of which are pivotally mounted in the upwardly extending arms 82 of the plates 8|. The outer ends of the bars or rods 83, 83 have short arms or links 84, 84

fixed thereto and carry the cam followers or rollers 85, 85 which ride in the tracks 85, 86, cut in the fixed end plates 81, 81.

Thus, as the operating rods 18, 18 are moved upby the main operatin cam I3, the .folding fingers 50 are moved upwardly and inwardlyin the general direction of the guide rods 85, 8.3. This :movement starts the folding operation, allowing the points of'the folding fingers toenter the ;openings between the cut lines of the blank. Continued.upwardmovement of the rods I8 then brings? the cam followers 85, 85 to a position at which the tracks 88, 35 change direction, so that as the fingers continue to move upwardly and inwardly they are rocked from the position shown in. Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8. This motion .of the fingers and their side plates 63 completes the operation of rotating and pressing the folded side strips I ia of the bottle pockets in the carton through the slots Mb in the lower portions of the handle sections of the blank. At the .same time the lower surfaces of the folding fingers 60 complete the folding operation of the ends of the strips I ia adjacent the central section of the blank by pressing those sections down around the hold down plates 55, 55.

Referring again to Fig. 3, a second cam 98 is also mounted on the shaft I6 and operates a cam follower 9| carried by the short horizontal bar 92. The rods or steps 55, 54 are fixed to this short horizontal bar 92 and are mounted to slide up and down in the frame of the machine. Thus, the cam 90 serves to move the rods or stops 54, up or down in proper timed sequence with the operation of the other elements. Springs 93, :93 serve to hold the follower 9| against the cam 90.

Referring now more particularly to the cams mounted on'the shaft II as seen in Figs. 1b and 3, cam 95 is in contact with the roller or follower 96 carried by the rod 91, the lower end of which is'bifurcated and straddles the shaft 'II. The upper end of rod 91 is pivotally attached to one arm of a bell crank 98 mounted on the stub shaft 99. The other end of the crank 98 is connected by'the link I55 to a smaller crank arm IflI fixed to the shaft I02. The shafts 99 and I82 have arms Iii-3, I04 fixed to them which are connected through links I55 and IE5 to the rods ID'I, Nil carrying the U-shaped striker fingers 5!, GI. Thus, rotation of the cam 95 serves to raise and lower in proper sequence the U-shaped fingers ESL-6|.

Also carried by shaft H is a cam IIS which operates the follower or roller i i I carried by rod H2. Rod I'I'2 likewise has its lower end bifurcated to straddle the shaft 7!. The upper end of the rod H2 is pivotally attached to the short crank arm I I3 fixed to the shaft I Hi.

The two creasing bars 55,65 are carried on the lower ends of rods H5, H5, and these rods in turn are pivotally attached to the ends of arms H5, IIB fixed to shaft H4, and the arms III, II? carried by shaft'I I8. This parallel linkage causes creasing bars 65, 65 upon downward movement of the operating rod II2 to swing downwardly and outwardly through an are so that the bottle pockets of the folded carton are collapsed with a swinging or rocking movement.

The third earn 528 mounted on the shaft H operates a follower I2 I carried by the rod E22 havinga bifurcated lower end I23'to straddle the shaft II. Operating rod I22 is pivotally connected to the crank I 25 fixed to the shaft I 25. Also carried by the shaft I25 are bevel gears I25, !25 meshing with the bevel gears I21, :2? carried on the stub shaft 57, 5?. Thus, the hold down feet 55, 55 carried on the arms 55, 55 are caused to swing into and out of clamping position at the proper times by upward and downward motion of the operating rod I22 controlled by cam When the folding operations just described are completed and the hold down feet 55, and creaser bars 55, release the blank, the partly folded blank is immediately carried out'of the central folding station by the friction belts 5| and 52. The short additional friction belts I33, I30 may be used to assist the movement of the blank by the principal friction belts 5!, 52. As the folded blank leaves these friction belts, the central portion of the blank is forced under a central mandrel, indicated generally at I 3 I, and having a shape in cross'section as shown in Fig. 10. Essentially, this mandrel consists of inclined side walls I32, I32 connected at their upper edges by a short horizontal wall I33. The side walls I32, I32,"and particularly the lower edges thereof, are used to perform the next folding operation. At this pointthe feeding of the blank is accomplished first by the short transfer chains I34, I34 and then by the longer feed chains I35, I35 provided with suitable feeding dogs and driven from the auxiliary drive shaft I35 connected to the motor. The chains 34, I34 and 135, I35 move at the same speed as the preceding feed chains, which speed is substantially less than the speed of the friction belts 5| and 52. As the central portion of the blank is fed under the mandrel 53L the folded side sections are fed between the upper guide rods I 37, I37 and lower guide rods I38, 538. The outer or handle sections of the partially folded blank during this operation are supported on the guide bars H5, 139.

It will be noted that as the partially folded blank moves forward in the machine, the rods I38, I38 are inclined inwardly and upwardly until they meet against the vertical central plate I43 (see Fig. 2a). The guide rods I31, I31 are similarly inclined upwardly and inwardly until they meet adjacent the plate It!) at a point in advance of the meeting of the guide rods I 38, I38. Thus, as the blank is fed forward, the guide rods I33, I38 raise the handle and folded portions of the blank on each side, folding the blank along its spaced central transverse'score lines about the centralmandrel ISI. This folding operation is continued through an angle greater than until the handle sections of the blank are brought flat together on opposite sides of the plate I40. During this operation the guide rods E31, E37 prevent the folded bottle pocket sections of the blank'from opening out unduly and causin a possible interference with the subsequent operations of the machine.

By referrin to Figs. 1a and 2a, it will be noted that the central vertical wall ME! terminates immediately after the guide rods I33, I38 bring the handle-sections of the blank together. The feed chains I35, I35 move the blank in this position until it has just cleared the end of the central plate I55 withthe handle portions together and is forced between opposing'stapling devices and anvils. The feed chains I35, I 35 terminate 'at this point so that as the blank arrives between these stapling devices and anvils its forward movementis momentarily stopped. At this point the blank is in the position indicated by the numeral I H (see Figs. 1a and 10), and the handle sections of the carton are fastened together by suitable stapling means. This portion of the apparatusis shown only diagrammatically since it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various types of stapling devices may be used,

As illustrated, the handle portions of the carton are located between the anvils I43, I43 and the opposed stapling devices I44, I44. These stapling devices may be operated in timed sequence by an electric switch, a cam or in any suitable manner to apply the two staples I45 through both sections of the handle or carrying portion of the carton'as soon as the blank reaches the proper position.

As soon as this stapling operation is completed,

'the carton is moved forward again by the feed chains I46, I46, each of which is provided with but a single feed dog I47. These chains, being operated at the same speed as the feed chains preceding them, permit the carton to pause for the stapling operation before the feed dog I4! comes around to pick up and advance the carton to the next operation. As soon as the stapling operation is completed, the dogs I4! on feed chains I46, I46, move the carton out of the stapling position far enough for the friction belts I48, I48 to continue the advancing or feeding of the folded carton.

The two friction belts I48, I48 are passed around a pair of driven pulleys I49, I49 mounted on short parallel vertical shafts and around idler pulleys I50, I50 also mounted on short vertical shafts. The driven pulleys I49, I49 may be driven from one of the auxiliary drive shafts connected to the motor by any suitable arrangement of chains and gears. The two friction belts I48, I48 thus form a straight line path where they come together for advancing the carton. In order to insure a firm grip of these friction belts on the carton, suitable backing idler rollers II may be Iprovided on the sides of the belts I48, I48 where the belts grip the carton. These backing rollers prevent these belts from springing apart and losing their grip on the carton. It will be noted that these belts grip the upper or handle portions of the carton above the folds composing the bottle pockets formed at the central folding station. The lower portion of the carton at this stage is still shaped around and sliding on the mandrel I31.

The belts 148, 148 tend to move the carton forward at a substantially higher rate of speed than the feed chains I47, I41. However, the lower portion of the carton is held against this more rapid forward movement by means of reverse or holding dogs I52 on the chains I53, I53 which are driven and moving at the same speed as the feed chains I46. Thus, as the carton enters the passageway between the belts I48,

I48, the upper portion is advanced rapidly and the lower portion is prevented from advancing as fast, with the effect that the side strips I4a forming the side walls of the bottle pockets swing outwardly and the lower portion of the carton is collapsed against the sides in the opposite direction fromthe collapsing performed by the creaser bars 65, 65. In other words, the relative positions of the upper or carrying portion of the carton and the lower portion of the carton are reversed or changed from the position indicated by the numeral I4I to that of the position shown at I54. This takes the spring out of the carton material at the fold lines forming the bottle pockets, making the carton easier to handle when bottles are loaded into it.

As soon as the folds of the carton are reversed by this operation, the lower portion of the carton slides off the end of the mandrel I3I and the central section of the cartonbegins to slide over an inclined centrally located vertical plate I56 which forces upwardly the central portion of the carton about the central transverse score line. By the time this operation begins, the carton has moved past the chains I53, I53 with their holding dogs I52. At the same time that the center of the carton is forced upward, the outer corners of the lower section of the carton are confined between the plates I51, I51, and as the carton continues to advance, these plates I51, I57 are brought gradually together to complete the folding or collapsing of the central section of the carton blank.

Thus, the carton emerges from between the belts I48, I48 at the delivery end of the machine in fully folded and collapsed position ready for shipment or for the customer to use. As the cartons are ejected at the delivery end of the machine by the belts I48, I48 they may be handled in any suitable fashion by stacking or other similar known devices. Also, during the passage of the carton between the belts I48, I48 the folding of the bottom portion of the carton and the formation of the carton into its finished collapsed form is assisted by the converging guide rods I58, I58 located approximately on a line with the folds forming the bottle pockets.

It will thus be seen that .the apparatus of our invention converts a fiat blank of sheet material into a folded and collapsed bottle carrying carton with only four main folding operations. These operations are (1 the formation of the flat blank with the two double folds as seen in Fig. 5; (2) the formation of the folded bottle pockets of the carton together with the locking of these pockets in place and collapsing of them; (3) bringing the two handle sections together and fastening them in this position; and (4) reversing the collapsed position of the bottle pockets and completing the folding of the base of the carton in collapsed form.

It will be noted that these operations are carried out by the machine with only two pauses or stops in the forward movement of the blank through the machine. These consolidations of operations make it possible to fold the blanks into finished cartons at a high rate of speed. Also, it is apparent that by feeding the blank through the machine in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the elongated blank, the first two operations can be performed simultaneously on each side of the blank without any waste of time and without interfering with the travel of the blank through the machine.

Other features of this apparatus which contribute importantly to the high speed production of a trulyfinished product are the fact that the bottle pockets of the carton are folded directly into a collapsed form and this collapsed form is reversed to take the spring out of the sheet material. This makes it much easier to pack the cartons for shipment directly as they come out'of the machine and it also provides the cartons-in a form which can be used immediately and easily by the consumer.

It will be understood that although a number of separate feed chains and other feeding means have been described in connection. with the embodiment of the machine illustrated in the drawings, these various feeding devices may if desired be consolidated to some extent to simplify this phase of the operation. Various other mechanical equivalents can of course be used in place of certain of the folding and other operations illustrated and described. 7

The terms and expressions which we have various modifications. are" possible within' the scope of the invention "claimed.

We claim:

1.. A method of folding an elongated rectangular blank of sheet material having cut and score lines therein to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises forming said blank with transverse folds at spaced points intermediate the. ends thereof, folding the blank adjacent said foldsalong score'lines adjacent said out lines to form bottle pockets, folding and securing together theouter ends of said blank with the pockets on the outer sides thereof, and folding the central portion of the'blank to permit collapsing of the carton.

2.. A method of folding. anelongated rectangular blank of sheet material having cut and score lines. to .form a bottle carrying carton which comprises moving said blank in a'direction at right'angles toits longitudinal axis and during such movement successively forming said blank with double transverse folds at spaced points intermediate the ends thereof, folding .the blank adjacent said folds along said score lines to form bottle. pockets, and folding the outer ends of said blank together to form .a bottlecarrying carton in collapsed position.

3; Apparatus for folding an elongated blank of sheet material to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises means for feeding said blank through saidapparatus .in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank, means for forming transverse folds insaid blank at :spaced pointsintermediate the ends thereof, means for forming bottle pockets. in said .blank adjacent said folds, and means located at a station of the apparatus following said bottle pocket forming means for folding and securing together the outer ends of said blank with the bottle pockets on the outer sides thereof.

4. A machine for folding an elongated blank of sheet material to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises means for feeding said blank through said folding machine in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank,

means for forming simultaneously two transversefolds in said blank at points spaced from the'outer'ends thereof, means 'forformingsimultaneously twosets of bottle pocketsjin said blank adjacent said folds, and. meansilocated at a stationof the machine following said bottle pocket forming means'forfolding-and securing together as a handle section the outer ends of said "blank with the bottle pockets on the outer sides thereof 5. Apparatus for folding an elongated blank of sheet material to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises means for feeding said blank through said apparatus; means for forming two sets of bottle pockets in said blank and collapsing said pockets between adjacent portions of the blank, means for folding and securing together to form a handle section the ends of said blank with said collapsed pockets on the outer sides thereof. and means for reversing the collapsed position of said pockets relative to said handle section.

6. Apparatus for folding an elongated blank of sheet material to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises means for feeding said blank through said apparatus, means for forming'two 12 sets of ,bottlepockets in. said. blank v.and;.c.ollapsing. said, pockets between. adj acent. 1 portions of the blank, means for bringingand securing to.-

gether theends of said. blankto form a handle section while preventing the central section :.of the blank, means forbringing andsecuring. to.- versing the collapsed position of saidpockets relative to said handle section while said central section of the blank is held in the uncollapsed position.

7. A machine forfolding an-elongated blank'of sheet material to form .a bottle carrying carton which comprises means forfeedingsaid blank through said foldingmachine; means for forming two sets of bottle pockets in said blankand collapsing said pockets between-adjacent portions of the blank, means for-fo1ding and securing together to form a handle section the ends of said blank with said collapsed pockets on the outer sides thereof, and feeding'means for advancing the handle section faster than-the central portion of the blank to reverse the collapsed position of said pockets.

8. In apparatus for folding an elongatedrectangular blank of sheet material to form a bottle carrying carton, means for forming bottle pockets by folding portions of said blank divided by cut lines into strips extending longitudinally of the blank which comprises a set of folding fingers, means for moving said fingers with a forward rocking motion, each of said fingers tapering laterally and vertically to a point'and being p0 sitioned so that said points first strike the blank along said out lines, and means for striking score lines between said cut lines in timed .relation'to said moving means to start the folding ofxsaid strips properly by said fingers; I

9. In apparatus for folding an elongated rectangular blank of sheet material to form abottle carrying carton, means for forming upright bottle pockets by folding portions of said blank divided by cut lines into'strips extending longitudinally of the blank which comprises a set of folding fingers, means for moving said fingers with a forward rocking motion, each of said fingers tapering laterally and vertically to apoint and being positioned so'that' said points first strike the blank along said out lines; and creaser bars for collapsing said bottle .pocketswitha downwardly and sideways motion as soon-"as said pockets are formed by said fingers.

10. In apparatus for folding an elongated rec-=- tangular blank of sheet material to form abottle carrying carton, means for forming upright bottle pockets by folding portions of said blank divided by cut lines into strips extending longi tudinallyof the blank which comprises aset of folding fingers, means for moving said fingers with a forward rocking motion, said fingers being positioned to strike the blank along said out lines, means for clamping the central portionof the blank in fixed position along diagonal score lines adiacent said central portion, means for striking score lines between said outlines to start the folding of said strips properly by said fingers, and creaser bars for collapsingthe upright bottle pockets with a downward and sideways motion after 'said pockets are formed by'said fingers.

11. In a method of formin a bottle carrying carton from an elongated rectangular sheet of material having intermediate its ends short longitudinal out and score lines therein separating. strips therebetween, short transverse and diagonalseore lines. at the ends of saidstrips and slots extending into an end portion on a line with said longitudina1 score lines, the steps which comprise rotating pairs of said strips to form relatively square bottle pockets therebetween, and forcing said strips through said slots and around the outer ends of the sheet to lock them in place.

12. In a method of forming a bottle carrying carton from an elongated rectangular sheet of material having intermediate its ends short longitudinal out and score lines therein separating strips therebetween, short transverse and diagonal score lines at the ends of said strips and slots extending into an end portion on a line with said longitudinal score lines, the steps which comprise rotating pairs of said strips to form relatively square bottle pockets therebetween, and forcing said strips through said slots and around the outer ends of the sheet to lock them in place while the central portion of the blank is held by a clamp along the innermost diagonal score lines.

13. In a method of forming a bottle carrying carton from an elongated rectangular sheet of material having intermediate its ends short longitudinal cut and score lines therein separating strips therebetween, short transverse and diagonal score lines at the ends of said strips and slots extendin into an end portion on a line with said longitudinal score lines, the steps which comprise rotating pairs of said strips to form relatively square bottle pockets therebetween, forcing said strips through said slots and around the outer ends of the sheet to lock them in place, collapsing said bottle pockets with a sideways motion, and creasing said pockets in the collapsed position.

14. In a method of forming a bottle carrying carton from an elongated rectangular sheet of material having intermediate its ends short longitudinal cut and score lines therein separating strips therebetween, short transverse and diagonal score lines at the ends of said strips and slots extending into an end portion on a line with said longitudinal score lines, the steps which comprise rotating pairs of said strips to form relatively square bottle pockets therebetween, forcing said strips through said slots and around th outer ends of the sheet to lock them in place, collapsing said bottle pockets with a sideways motion, creasing said pockets in the collapsed position, and reversing the collapsing of said pockets to take the spring out of the sheet material at the creased folds.

15. Apparatus for folding an elongated rectangular blank haivng cut and score lines to form a bottle carrying carton which comprises means for forming the blank into a flattened position having a pair of double transverse folds spaced from the ends of the blank, means for formin sets of bottle pockets adjacent said folds and simultaneously raising the ends of the blank above the level of the central portion thereof, means for collapsing the carton to a flattened position by moving the end portions laterally of said central portion, means for bringing said end portions together to form a handle section for the carton, and means for reversing the laterally ofiset position of said end and central por tions to take the spring out of the blank material at the fold lines around said pockets.

I-IEINZ AHLMEYER. WHITNEY D. SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,308,394 Slevin Jan. 12, 1943 2,337,803 Deline Dec. 28, 1943 

